The grand estate of Rosenfeld was slowly growing smaller as the carriage made its way down the winding road. Not that there was anyone looking back to witness its gradual disappearance. No one in that carriage would look back, either from interest or desire because that picturesque villa, draped in the first rays of morning, glistening with untold promises and dreams, well, not a soul present actually cared. It was just another place, full of relatively unremarkable individuals. It was just another job.
In fact, if she never had to return to that villa ever again in her entire life, it would surely be too soon for the young heiress.
It had been a dreadful night and a dreadful party. The company had been dull, the food was mediocre and there had not been a single partner there worth dancing with.
If it had not been for her orders, she would have happily done without that dance with Sir Richard. He was surely one of her worse partners. A man who liked his drink a bit too much and was overly inclined to give unwanted attentions on to any breathing female that made the mistake of wandering too close to lecherous hands. Decorum or no, he was quite the dreadful man.
He had even had the audacity to ruin her new evening frock. Granted, perhaps she had taken a bit too much pleasure in returning pleasantries from where his hands had wandered during the waltz, but still. To call ones' self a gentleman and then have the compunction to bleed all over a silk gown. What had the aristocracy come to?
She had truly loved this gown.
"My Lady," Norman Scott, her father's butler or perhaps it would be more accurate to not identify him as her butler now, since her father had met is unfortunate although not altogether unexpected demise some four months earlier seemed to be trying to get his Lady's attention. For her part, the young heiress seemed to be less than interested or attentive.
"My Lady," he attempted once more, but a bit louder this time. His effort was rewarded by a slow disinterested look from his charge.
"What is it, Norman? You know I dislike being bothered after such an unfortunate occurrence." It was mildly true, but one could rarely say his mistress was ever in a good mood. Something always seemed to displease her right after a job. Be it the company she was forced to endure or an unfortunate stain upon a new dress. She was often cross.
"I have arranged for us to stop shortly just before we reach London. There the maid will have brought you a new gown to freshen up whilst Pyotr and I dispose of Sir Richard. After you change, we shall need to make haste, you are scheduled to attend the grand opening of Her Majesty's exhibit on the colonies." As always, there was more work to be done than she liked but of course she would attend and handle it.
She had to at least accredit something to her Norman's efficiency and foresight. It had been a long while since she had accidentally been dirtied on the job and yet he had it all arranged to be dealt with. But then again, it was his duty to look after the needs of his mistress, and honestly, he would have no place of employment within the Phantomhive household if he could not predict and plan for such an inconvenience.
"Very well," she sighed.
If they were to make haste, there was no point in waiting to stop to at least begin making herself presentable once more. Reaching up to her hair she began pulling pins from the blonde mass that sat ornately upon her head. In but a few moments she had loosened the wig enough to allow her to separate out the edge combs and drop the mass beside her on the seat.
Her hair now free of the tight constraints it had been in only moments before, Lady Claudia noted that her mood did lighten considerably. She might not have noticed it because she had adjusted to the discomfort, but the wig had indeed been giving her a headache, which only fouled her temper.
"Honestly, my Lady," Norman interjected catching the wig. "Annalisa spend hours ensuring that this wig be set up so nicely and you discard it to the floor in such a manner."
Claudia found it much easier now to simply ignore her butler's scolding. Running her fingers through her dark hair and massaging out the tension that lingered was a much more pressing task on her list at the moment. Closing her eyes and reveling in the freedom and relief for a few seconds longer.
Now satisfied that her hair and scalp had been adequately dealt with she turned her attention back on her disappointed butler.
"If Annalisa wants to fuss about the wig, let her. I am sure that once she sees my dress, she will be far too distressed about the silk to care very much about the hair."
Annalisa, her personal maid was a girl but a few years older than herself. Her father had picked the girl up during one of his trips and brought her back to the estate when Claudia was only six years of age. Claudia did not see the girl very much her first year at the manor, but after her eighth birthday the girl had followed her practically everywhere. Guests would sometime comment that the two girls were quite similar to one another and that if it were not for the servant girl's station and honey blonde hair, the two might be mistaken for sisters.
As they grew older however such comments had steadily stopped. Annalisa transitioned out of her role as Claudia's playmate and into her role as a maid within the household in but another year or so. The Earl, her father, insisted that Claudia's education became much more rigorous and thus the young mistress no longer had time for games.
From that point on, Annalisa was her personal maid. Handling the menial tasks of caring for Lady Claudia's clothing to ensuring that all of her disguises were in perfect working order. For all of her excellent work however, Annalisa was something of a fret. She was always fussing about something much to everyone else's dismay.
Norman sighed. He too was not excited to listen to the woman's latest displeasure at something askance with the Lady's appearance.
The ride lulled into an easy silence as Lady Claudia had nothing else to say, and Norman thought better of continuing to pursue other topics with his mistress while she was in such a mood.
After perhaps another hour had passed in uneventful silence, Pyotr called the horses to a slow pace and then a stop. The tall northern bloke dismounted from his seat to tend the horses while Norman exited the carriage first. Turning, he offered Lady Claudia his hand to dismount.
She took his hand careful to mind the step, yet her feet had not even been on the ground for two seconds when she heard the eager cry of Annalisa.
"My Lady! Oh, how I have missed you back at the manor! You would never believe-" whatever riveting piece of gossip that had been sure to leave the energetic girl's lips was swallowed and trapped in her throat.
Perhaps she was choking on it given the current sound the girl was making.
"Annalisa! That is quite enough for now. If you continue with your theatrics our Lady is sure to be late. Get on with it," the butler ordered already exacerbated with the girl's antics.
Biting down on her temper and dismay, Annalisa ducked her head and pulled her Lady into the tree line where they might have some privacy. She was fuming with her displeasure at her Lady's state of dress but feared any outcry might attract the butler's attention. The last thing she needed was yet another scolding.
"Come now, my Lady. Norman has given me very little time to make you presentable once more," there was an undercurrent of sorrow in the young woman's voice as she looked at what she was given to work with. How could her Lady, Claudia Phantomhive be in such a state? A wrinkled dress from the long journey she could understand. But all of this? Dried blood on such fine silk. Hair hanging down unrestrained. This was far more than she had anticipated.
Seeing that lingering in her distress was unlikely to change the situation she worked quickly, sweeping her mistress' hair out of the way so she could undo the corset lacing at her back.
As always, she was careful not to touch her Lady's back as she assisted her in removing the soiled garment and then stepping into a fresh gown. Annalisa considered herself lucky that the blood had not gone all the way through her Lady's garments because she had not thought to bring additional petticoats. Now securely in a more modest dress, Annalisa re-secured the corset and herded Claudia back to the road so they might avoid getting leaves and dirt in the hem of the gown.
"Forgive me, my Lady. There is no way to get you warm water to wash your face so this will have to do," She said somewhat apologetically as she pulled a small bucket from the carriage that she come to meet them in.
"Never mind, Lisa. It cannot be helped." Claudia could not have minded very much in that moment. After freeing herself from that abhorrent wig she had been dying for the chance to wash away the rest of her disguise. Heavy makeup was necessary to distort some of her features while at the Rosenfeld estate. But that certainly did not mean that she enjoyed it.
She took to scrubbing away at her skin until the lingering layers of powder were but an unpleasant memory. Her skin, though red from her harsh treatment, was now liberated.
"Here, my Lady. Dry your face before you catch a chill," Annalisa insisted as she thrust the towel towards Claudia and turned to her next task. Taming her Lady's hair.
She had much practice at it, but the thick raven locks were quite stubborn. Often curling in the wrong direction or slipping from the twists and binding she put in to keep them still. She could already tell that today she would not be granted any reprieve from their disobedient twists. Worse she did not have all of her supplies with her.
"Lisa, if you keep sighing like that, I am sure Norman will hear you and assign you more chores." Claudia commented idly pulling Annalisa from her thoughts. Claudia herself did not mind the girl's actions. She was quite aware of how much trouble she could cause for her maid, so a bit of frustration was to be expected. As long as Annalisa performed her duties to her satisfaction, such a little thing like a sigh or modest complaints was nothing.
"I apologize, Lady Claudia. It is just... I did not come prepared for the tasks you have prepared for me," She made a face knowing that her lady could not see.
"Then you should take note and remember for next time, Lisa. You know I am prone to disregarding propriety as it suits me. You should have known better."
Another sigh.
"Yes, My Lady. You are quite correct." With that they lapsed into silence once more. Annalisa became absorbed in her task, twisting wayward strands back with such intent, it was as though she was willing the strands to comply. After a few more minutes the last pin was in place. Leaving the dark coils secured firmly to the top of Claudia's head.
"This will have to do, My Lady. It is not as elaborate as I would have liked but it is respectable."
Claudia, who had sat through her maid's ministrations silently was already missing the relief of having her hair unbound. She was sure that this would be the start of another headache.
"My Lady, are you quite ready? Pyotr and I have completed our task. If we leave now, we should arrive right on time," He was looking at his pocket watch as he informed her. A tell that he was actually quite concerned about being tardy but was too formal and proud to suggest otherwise.
"Quite," she replied making her way over to the carriage and accepting insistence inside. As she settled her skirt about her, she could hear Norman issue a low and sharp order to Pyotr to make haste. A small ironic smile twisted about her lips.
On time, indeed.